Dental Tips & Articles
Dental Health Blog
My Teenager Wants A Lip Ring What Are The Risks?
Quick Summary Oral piercings like lip and tongue rings carry significant risks including bacterial infections, permanent tooth damage from jewelry contact, gum recession that can lead to tooth loss, nerve damage, and potential airway obstruction from swelling. Up to...
What can I do for my teething baby?
Quick summary Teething typically begins between 4 to 6 months but can start anywhere from 3 to 12 months, causing fussiness, drooling, sleep disruption, and decreased appetite. You can relieve your baby's teething pain through gum massage, refrigerated teething rings,...
Dental Sealants The Great Tooth Protector!
Quick Summary Dental sealants are thin plastic-like barriers applied to tooth chewing surfaces that seal out food and bacteria, reducing cavity risk by 80 percent when placed soon after permanent teeth erupt. The application takes under 1 minute per tooth, can be done...
What Is Family Dentistry?
Quick summary Family dentistry uses general dentists who treat patients of all ages without specializing in one area, so your entire family can receive care ranging from sealants on children's first permanent teeth to complete dentures for seniors at a single...
A Pocket Knife Can Save You Thousands On Dental Bills
Our very own Dr. Mark McOmie was recently featured on the Knife News blog offering advice to save patients thousands on dental bills with a simple solution. “Why don’t you go out and buy a really nice, $200 knife?” Dr. Mark McOmie, a Chattanooga, Tennessee...
Gingivitis – Everything You Need To Know
Quick Summary Gingivitis is gum inflammation marked by irritation, redness, swelling, and sometimes bleeding, usually caused by plaque and tartar buildup from poor oral hygiene. It is the first stage of periodontal disease and can progress to receding gums, bone loss,...
What Is The Cause of Stained Teeth?
Quick Summary Tooth stains come from two main sources: extrinsic stains caused by foods, drinks, and tobacco that cling to enamel, and intrinsic stains where the inner dentin darkens due to trauma, medications, or aging. Professional whitening can reverse most...
Brush Up On Some Toothbrush Oral Hygiene History
Quick Summary Toothbrushes have evolved from frayed sticks used around 3500-3000 B.C. to pig-hair brushes in 13th-century China, modern nylon bristles introduced in 1938, and electric versions that arrived in the U.S. in 1960. Consumer surveys rank the toothbrush as...
Pets? We love ours, how about you?
Quick summary McOmie Family Dentistry staff members share photos and stories of their pets, including dogs, cats, horses, sugar gliders, and even a pony, to help you get to know the team better and feel more comfortable during visits. The team includes Scarlet, the...
Calcium Isn’t Just Good for Bones It Benefits Healthy Teeth!
Quick Summary Calcium and vitamin D are essential for preventing gum disease, tooth decay, and weakened teeth by supporting your mouth's natural defenses. If you follow a vegan, vegetarian, or lactose-free diet, you can get calcium from sesame seeds, dark leafy greens...
How Breastfeeding Affects Your Child’s Oral Health
Quick Summary Breastfeeding stimulates jaw muscle tone and may reduce orthodontic issues, with exclusively breastfed babies for six months being 72 percent less likely to have crooked teeth compared to non-breastfed babies. Purely breastfed infants have a reduced risk...
Extra Dental Floss? Try These Useful Tricks!
Quick Summary Dental floss has eight practical uses beyond cleaning teeth, including slicing cakes cleanly with flavorless floss stretched taut, binding meat during cooking as a substitute for kitchen twine, and starting campfires with waxed floss wrapped around...